Leaving You Behind
by KitsuneRei02
Summary: Apparently all things end well. That ending wasn't for them.


Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters do not belong to me. I wish it did, but it doesn't. Now I will run off and cry a river or two because of that.

Leaving You Behind

Yusuke knew it. Hiei knew it. Kurama knew it. They all knew it. They didn't want to know, or even think about it, but they did.

What Kurama couldn't figure out was _how_ they knew. _He_ certainly didn't tell them. He had hoped to avoid it until right before he actually left, not a whole day before.

"Kurama, I--," Yusuke began. Kurama held a hand up to silence him.

"I have to. Please, Yusuke, understand. I _have_ to go," Kurama said, sighing.

"Yeah, I get _that_ part, damn it! But how long! Two years! _Ten_ years! _The rest of our fuckin' lives_!

The sadness of it all was beginning to come. The whole situation was sinking in. it wasn't his fault, though, and Yusuke was pissed. Even Hiei seemed angry.

"I don't know, Yusuke. Calm down, just for a minute," Kurama tried.

"The hell I will! We're a _team_, Kurama! We're all that's left! You can't leave now!" Yusuke yelled at the top of his lungs.

Kurama felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Yusuke didn't have to put it that way. At least Hiei hadn't said anything. But, of course, now that he had thought that, the little demon would. Hiei took two steps forward and stood directly in front of Kurama. He looked up at him. It was as he had predicted.

"Yusuke's right, in a way. No matter how you put it, it's betrayal. I'm disappointed in you, fox," Hiei stated, no emotion sounding in his voice. Then he simply flitted away.

Kurama sighed heavily as Yusuke continued his rant. Looking out the window, he focused on the darkness, the night, the dark clouds and the flashes of lightning. The rain soon began to drown out the sound of Yusuke's harsh words. Drifting in what little comfort the night had to offer, the darkness held him like a blanket. The rain was like a sweet lullaby, reminding him of when his mother had been alive.

Kurama suddenly found himself alone in his dark bedroom. The rain had slowed, and the blanket was fading away. It was almost morning. Kurama sat on his bed, ready to spend his last night alone, bearing the anger of his friends, and the guilt of his betrayal.

Tap, tap, tap, tap. The rain against the window. Tick, tick, tick, tick. The clock telling the time. Drip, drip, drip, drip. The faucet leaking again. Bang, bang, bang, bang. The sound of Hiei at the window.

Kurama's eyes flew open in realization. He jumped up and was opening the window in a flash. A wet fire demon came in, taking his heavy cloak off as Kurama closed the window. The fox turned around, and their eyes met. Silence, awkward silence. Kurama couldn't hear the dripping, the ticking, or the tapping. The silence was too loud. He had to break it. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hiei got to it first.

"Two years."

Kurama blinked. "Two years?"

"You have two years to get your ass back here, fox. If you don't, I don't know how, but I _will_ find a way to drag you back," Hiei said, anger in his voice. It wasn't real anger, though, like earlier. Kurama smiled. Hiei wasn't angry anymore. Hiei understood. He was willing to wait.

A simple nod from Kurama was all it took before Hiei went into action. He had Kurama pinned down on the bed, and a glare meeting his eyes.

"Hiei… What're you…?" Kurama mumbled, confused.

"Just shut up," Hiei replied, leaning down to kiss him.

Kurama returned the kiss, finally understanding. The look in Hiei's eyes had told him. Hiei was worried. He was concerned. He was hurt, disappointed, and… sad. This would be their last time together until Kurama returned, _if_ he returned. Hiei was initiating it. Hiei wanted it. He wanted his last moments with Kurama to mean something. He wanted comfort in his sadness before Kurama left and mask was put back in place and his walls rebuilt.

And Kurama would give it to him, the last night before his departure. Their last moments together would have to last them two years, eternity if it must.

The night faded away, and morning reappeared to cast light over their empty bed. They were at the door, with Yusuke, saying their final goodbyes.

"Kurama… Man, you better come back," Yusuke said.

"I'll try," Kurama replied, offering a smile. Yusuke returned it, and patted Kurama's back in a friendly gesture. "Goodbye, foxboy."

Kurama pretended not to see the tears gathering in his eyes, or the pain that must be in the boy's heart. Kurama turned to Hiei.

Hiei raised his hand. They stared a short, stiff handshake, and Kurama turned, preparing to leave. His body was just about depleted, and his soul was ready.

"I'll wait, Kurama, as long as I have to," Hiei said, just as Kurama's body slumped to the ground, his soul gone.

Yusuke and Hiei shared a moment looking up at the sky as if they could actually see Kurama's soul off in the distance making its way to the human world.

After a while, they looked down and saw Kurama's body, which had never aged past twenty-eight, growing old, turning to bones, and then dust blown away by the wind. Hiei picked up the clothes and folded them, then walked back into the house. Yusuke followed, and helped set the table for their usual breakfast, minus one plate. They warmed up the leftovers, and sat across from each other. Silently, they began eating.

For a while, the silence was all there was, until Yusuke opened his mouth.

"He's really gone, isn't he?"

Hiei nodded, focusing on the plate and his food. He didn't want to think about it.

"Until he finds a new body, huh? He's cheating death again, isn't he?" Yusuke said, his tone sad, lost.

"Yusuke," Hiei said.

"Yes?"

"Don't talk about it again," Hiei replied.

Yusuke nodded, understanding. They went into another long silence that would last until their fox returned.


End file.
